Martha Elizabeth Stauffer, daughter of Christian and Catherine Stauffer, was born November first, 1850, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and passed from this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. B. F. Downard at Mt. Zion, Iowa, on November 26th, 1931, Thanksgiving Day, at the age of eighty-one years and twenty-six days.

At Lancaster, Penna., she was united in marriage to James B. McElwain and to this union seven children were born, Catherine, John, Anna, Joseph, Mabel, Harry and Cora.

From Pennsylvania the family moved to Henry, Ill., where they lived for seven years, moving from there to Eustis, Nebr., in the year 1886. Here they lived on a homestead west of town for several years, moving later to Eustis. In 1918 they moved to Mt. Zion, Iowa, where they resided until the death of the husband in 1922. Since that time the deceased made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Downard.

Mrs. McElwain gave her heart to God in her early years, and lived a sincere Christian life, and a most active life until her health failed. The last two years of her earthly sojourn were passed in invalidism, the last four months of which she was unable to talk. Her last words were:

“Could I but stand where Moses stood
And view that landscape o’er,
Nor chilly wind nor death’s cold flood
Could launch me from that shore.”

She is survived by two sons, John of Hastings, Nebr.; and Harry of Douds, Iowa; and four daughters, Mrs. Catherine Downard of Mt. Zion, Iowa; Mrs. Annie Houck of Grand Gorge, N. Y.; Mrs. Mabel Pershall of Madrid, Nebr.; and Mrs. Cora Eddy of Denver, Colo. One son, Joseph, died in infancy. She also leaves a brother, Gabriel Stauffer of Peoria, Ill. Twenty-three grandchildren and thirty-two great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and a host of true friends.

Funeral service was held at Mt. Zion Church and interment made beside her husband in Millers Chapel Cemetery in that city.

The Eustis News 27(37):1 Thursday, December 17, 1931